By Ivanna Carlos |Staff Writer|
We all come in as freshmen with different expectations, but a few keep popping up on everyone’s list: more freedom, more partying, more work, and interactions with romantic partners.
Does the reality of college live up to the myth?
“Yes my expectations definitely have been met. As a freshman I joined a fraternity so with these four years in my fraternity I got everything out of my college experience,” said student Raymond Aguirre.
“I feel social media gives people the idea that college is just one big party and movies rarely portray the anxiety and the stress a college student really has to experience throughout the four years of stay,” continued Aguirre.
Sometimes the involvement of a student depends on whether they commute to school or not.
“College is what you make of it. I honestly came into college thinking and wanting to be involved but that didn’t happen. I commute from Apple Valley so it’s a drive for me and at the end of each school day I am simply tired and all I can think about is heading home as soon as class is done,” said student Suna Haddad.
Many students who attend CSUSB commute to school. Claudia Vizcarra, a current student said, “I honestly never really got the opportunity to experience the college life because of work along with my life outside of work, and I feel that to get a full experience you need to actually stay on campus and dorm. I live close to school so I don’t see the need of having to stay on campus.”
“I work a full-time job and try to balance school so I never stay on campus, no clubs, no social life at school,” continued Vizcarra.
There are those students who don’t feel the need to have social lives at school, and would rather go for one thing and that thing only–to get their work done–and finish in a short amount of time rather than waste time as well as money.
“I transferred from a community college where all I did was waste time coming in I didn’t think about attending parties, making friends, or joining any clubs. I simply thought about the amount of work I was going to have and if I was going to be able to handle it and survive,” said student Nathan Runyan.
My college experience has turned out to be exactly what I expected coming into college. It’s mostly work, and not so much play–at least not with other students during campus activities.
Since I commute and don’t live that close to campus, I have to switch things around in my schedule to get involved with activities like clubs, school events, and concerts, but sometimes it can be hassle.
All in all, you have to make the best of things during your time here at CSUSB. College is what you make of it!
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